I'm Your Man and Woman
by Reina19
Summary: Claire feels that it is up to her to take over the farm as she decides to disguise herself as Jack. Can Claire handle being both a male and a female? Full summary inside. A gender-bending romantic comedy! Claire x Gray, Jack x ?
1. Voices

**I'm Your Man and Woman**

**A/N: Hey! This is Reina19 here. This is my first fic ever! I wanted to start out with a one-shot but I ended up making a chap fic instead. Just a heads up, I'm going to add previews for the next chapter after every 3 chapters I make. I'm trying to upload 3 chapters every time I upload. The chapters will just keep getting better and better, I promise. Enjoy!**

Summary: Claire finds out from her friend Jack that he's moving into his grandfather's farm at Mineral town. But when the Witch Princess unintentionally turns Jack into a puppy, who will take care of the farm? Claire feels that it is up to her to take over the farm as she decides to disguise herself as Jack. But what if Jack's childhood love interest falls in love with 'Claire-Jack'? And can Claire handle being both a male and a female? A gender-bending romantic comedy. Claire x Gray, Jack x ?

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harvest Moon.**

**Chapter 1: Voices**

**Claire POV**

"Yo, Claire!" Jack said. I turned my head to the direction of that goofy voice. Jack was sitting by an apple tree next to a chicken coop in bad shape. He waved at me and smiled his trademark grin and chocolate brown eyes. I almost didn't recognize him if it weren't for that grin because his clothes were different. He wore blue overalls, a white shirt, a red scarf around his neck, and a blue baseball cap that he wore backwards. A portion of his brown hair was sticking out of his hat on the front of his head. He looked kind of funny, but kind of cute in a farmer-ish kind of way. It looks like he's trying to dress the part, I guess.

'Ah, so that's where Jack is' I thought 'and this messy lot is his farm.' The map that Jack had given me before he moved here had leaded me to this run-down area. It wasn't really an authentic map – it looks like Jack drew it himself. According to him, the map showed all of the shops, houses, and hotspots the town had to offer. It showed all of the pathways and secret shortcuts you can take. A stick-figure drawing of an old man marked the location of this farm. It looks like he wrote 'grandpa's farm' in red crayon. He must have drawn this when he was five. Though, as childish as this map was, it was surprisingly accurate and easy to follow.

I had just arrived in the town Jack was taking about on the phone the other day. He told me that he was moving into his grandfather's farm to get away from the city life and live somewhere where he can get peace and quietness. There was also another reason…

"_But why a farm?" I said to Jack, confused. "Couldn't you just buy a normal house? I mean, with a farm you have to, uh, farm. And that doesn't sound very fun or exciting…"_

"_No, no, no. I had to get the farm! Think about it Claire, I get to be my own boss. No manager. No douchebag customers up in my ass every day. Plus, I get to grow my own produce and take care of animals. That doesn't sound too hard. Sounds fun to me! Oh and I didn't buy it. The farm belonged to my grandfather and it's going under my name" Jack said. He sounded pretty preoccupied. Did I just hear a woman giggling in the background?_

"_Hey Jack, who are you with right now? I heard someone giggling on your line" I said. Oh Jack. That better not be Samantha or Katie or whoever that waitress is. Wait, was she a waitress? I forget. Jack has too many girlfriends in the city, and all of the ones I've met, in my opinion, just don't suit him. Really, I think it's time for 23-year-old Jack to find someone who can keep the 'girlfriend' title for at least a month._

"_Uh, yeah. That giggle you heard on the background belongs to a beautiful woman named Jessica." Right after he said that, I heard a faint 'awwwee Jacky-pooo I looove yoou' on his line of the phone. Ew. Gag me with a spoon. _

"_Right. Whatever. Anyways, Jack listen. As your friend, I just want to make sure you're making the right decision. I'm going to come over to your, uh, farm the day you move over there. I'll be taking the ferry in the afternoon. You'll see me there at around 4pm. I just want to check out the town you're going to be living the rest of your life in and see what's so good about it. I'll be staying at an inn over there for about 3 days. Oh, and dump Jessica before you leave. It's for your own good." I said the last two sentences almost in a whisper. _

"_Er, we're just friends. It's nothing serious." He lowered his voice so that his 'friend' won't hear him. "Besides, I'm going to Mineral Town with a clean slate. Out with the old and in with the new! Well, not entirely out with the old…I wonder if she still remembers me…" He murmured the last part. She? Who is he talking about?_

"_If 'who' still remembers you?" I questioned._

"_Oh, you heard me? Uh, I was just thinking about a girl I met a long time ago when I was still a kid. We used to hang out a lot when I stayed over at my grandpa's farm over the summer. I had a crush on her. And I think she liked me. When it was time for me to go back home, to the city, I remember I cried like a little baby! I only saw her that one summer though, and I never saw her again."_

"_Aw, that sounds so sad…but you still remember her? You must have really liked her! That's so sweet, you and her - childhood friends! Hey, when you get there, she just might be the one girl you'll be spending the rest of your life with!" I'm a sucker for childhood friend romance. _

"_Hey, don't jump into any conclusions! I'm just wondering if she'll recognize me when I get there. Well, that is of course if she still lives there. But I have this strong hunch she still lives there though! She told me that she'll stay in Mineral Town and wait for me to return. And I promised her that I would come back. But it's been like what, 17 years since I made that promise? She probably forgot about it, I mean I even forgot her name..." He seemed so worked up about this 'promise' he made with that girl. This doesn't sound like the modern-day Jack-the-chick-magnet I know of. I wonder if he developed strong feelings for her._

"_Well, it sounds to me that this mystery girl is the whole reason why you're going to take over the farm. And I don't think she forgot her promise – call it a woman's intuition. Really Jack, just admit it! You decided to take that farm because it holds so many of your dear childhood memories with that girl. And you hope that you'll see her again and show her that you've kept your pinky- promise and you'll get married and live happily ever after!" I probably had too much sugar when I said that. _

"_Claire, you're weird." _

"_Sorry, I was just rambling on. I get excited when I hear cute little stories like that."_

"_Just lay off the sweets and sappy romance movies." _

"_Right, right. Whatever you say."_

"_And don't forget, the farm used to be my grandpa's. Part of the reason why I wanted to move into the farm was to pick up and continue where my grandpa had left off. But uh…you're kind of right… I do want to see that girl again like you said. I know I was 6-years-old then, but even now I felt like she was special to me. Kind of stupid, don't you think?" _

"_Nah. I don't think it's stupid at all. I actually find it really sweet. This girl already sounds better than your past girlfriends. So, you and that mystery girl huh?"_

"_Yeah, whatever." He sounded pretty annoyed. "Look, I just don't want to talk about this girl with you right now. I've got to pack up my things for tomorrow. I'll talk to you later. Bye Claire."_

"_Bye Jack-poo." _

"_Ugh, you heard that too?"_

_I chuckled. "Hehe, of course. I have super hearing, remember?"_

"_Right. Bye."_

"_Bye."_

That's right. Jack also wanted to see his childhood friend here. I wonder what she looks like. He said she was special. I wonder if there's a special guy for me here too…wait, what am I thinking?

_Now is not the time to be thinking if Mr. Right lives in this town!_

Now that I think about it, I've never had a long, serious relationship with anyone. I've only went out with guys that look like they're having fun. Fun-loving, free spirits…I've always been attracted to those types. Love is experienced when you're having the most fun, right? But relationships with these kinds of guys never end well for me. I have yet to experience what true love is like…

_Claire, now you just sound really lame and pathetic. _

I blame you! Shut up and die stupid conscience!

"Uh, Claire? Hell-oooh? You're spacing out and making all sorts of weird faces." Jack snapped me backed to reality. I didn't even notice that he was in front of me. Stupid flashback and stupid conscience! He must have thought I was crazy. I released a long, deep sigh.

"Oh, I must be still recovering from my seasickness, hehe." I never get seasick though.

"Yeah, you don't look too good. Let's go to this pond I found near the hot spring. Maybe it will help clear your head or something." Jack looked concerned.

"Ok." I didn't want to stay in the farm any longer. It looks as though it was hit by a typhoon or something. For how long was this farm in this terrible condition? There were weeds and rocks everywhere. Looks like Jack is in for a lot of work before he can have some real peace and quietness.

We walked into a pathway south of the farm. This pathway leads us to a forest area full of rich, green pine trees and grass. It was very quiet; all you can hear are the distant chirpings of small birds. 'It really is peaceful here' I thought. Jack tapped my shoulder and motioned his head towards his right, pointing at a stairway. I followed closely behind him and carefully walked up the steps.

We finally reached the pond and I paused for a moment to catch my breath. The pond looked really beautiful. The sky was almost dark, and you could see the water playing with the reflection of the setting sun. I dipped my hand onto the clear, cool water, moving my hand back and forth. I closed my eyes and relaxed, sitting on a rock.

"Hey Claire, do you hear something?"

"Hm?"

"Voices…It sounds like two women are talking."

I looked around. I didn't see any women or hear any voices. What is he talking about? Looks like its Jack's turn to be crazy.

Or maybe we're both crazy, because I'm starting to hear the voices too…


	2. A Little Fuzzy

**A/N: The whole chapter's going to be in the Witch Princess' point of view. I kind of tweaked her personality a little, making her a bit more hostile and a little vulgar towards the Harvest Goddess. I also made her a bit violent. I still think she's awesome though. **

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harvest Moon.**

**Chapter 2: A Little Fuzzy**

**Witch Princess POV**

"Now I just need some gold ore and I'm done with my concoction!" I said with a mischievous grin. I stirred in a gooey substance in my mini cauldron as I wait for my minions to arrive with the precious ore.

I am one step away with creating the ultimate potion that would turn any human into a teddy bear! I would call it, 'Da-chan X.' Ah; I just can't help my fascination with teddy bears. I just want to turn everything into teddy bears…no that wouldn't be too fun. If I did that, there wouldn't be any mortals that I can mess around with. Variety is the spice of life after all.

I can hear my Da-chan minions coming up from the second floor of the spring cave. They must have found the gold ore I have been looking for. Why did the booklet say that I must get the ore from this particular mine? And why did this cave have to be close to the pond? Her pond? Ugh, Harvest Goddess is so annoying! She better not appear out of nowhere and ruin my plans! Just thinking about her has already ruined my mood.

"Dum-Da-Da-DAA! "

Oh, speak of the devil. It's her. That's just _great_.

"Look, Harvest Bitch, I don't have time to deal with the likes of you! Get out of my face! As much as I would love to prove that I can beat your ass at any game at any time, today is an exception!"

"My,my,my. Aren't we a little busy." The bitch giggled when she saw me rummaging over my pile of ingredients. "I just want to see how my old friend was doing."

"Alright, one, I am not your friend. And two, get the hell out of here! I am about to finish my masterpiece!" I hissed.

My minions finally came up the stairs, all three of them carrying a couple of gold ores. I only needed one, but no matter. I could use some spare ores for future experiments. I took one of the ores and dropped it into my concoction. I stirred furiously because the Harvest Goddess angered me and I wanted to leave this cave at once. The substance turned into a golden yellow. I smiled a devilish grin. I was done with my masterpiece.

"Ha,ha! It is finally done!" I placed the golden substance in a glass container. It had a picture of a bear and the bottom is labeled 'Da-chan X.' "Come on minions! Let us leave this wretched place!"

"I wouldn't go out of the cave if I were you." The green-haired woman warned me.

"Do not tell me what to do!" I snapped. I just wanted to get out of the cave and breathe fresh air. That woman makes my blood boil.

Just when I was about to walk out, a young man and a young woman suddenly appeared before me. The young man had brown hair sticking out of his cap and had chocolate brown eyes. The young woman had long, blonde hair and clear blue eyes. They just stood there, frozen. I guess they were probably shocked to find a witch, a goddess, and three teddy bears in a cave.

"Dah…ehh…uh…hello ladies." The boy said. Hmm, he seems to be a promising candidate…

"Who are you? What brings you here?" I asked the boy.

"Uh, my name is Jack. And this is my friend, Claire. We heard voices coming from this cave while we were visiting the pond."

"Ah, I am the Harvest Goddess. You two were visiting the pond? I am very flattered!" the goddess shot a smile at Jack and Claire. "Nice to meet you Jack –"

"Shut up, woman! Do not talk to my guinea pig!" I snapped.

"You are so rude today, Witchie!" The goddess glanced back at Jack and Claire. "I'll be in my pond. Try to visit me every once in a while and make an offering. Toodles!" The goddess left the cave and disappeared into the watery depths of the pond. Finally. I looked back at the confused Jack.

"Gu…guinea pig? I'm…your…whaa?" The boy looked very puzzled.

"That's right. Since you and your friend have decided to come over here and grace me with your presence, I have decided to give you your reward."

"So being your guinea pig is my reward? How would I benefit from this? I don't understand."

"Maybe you should consider it as punishment for eavesdropping instead then. Minions! Pin him to the ground!" I snapped my fingers and the three teddy bears quickly moved up to Jack and pinned him to the ground. Claire looked even more shocked to see the moving teddy bears.

"What the hell! What is going on? The teddy bears are moving! And what are you going to do with Jack!" she yelled.

"Don't worry Claire, Jack just has to swallow this potion that I am giving him. He won't die, I promise." I quickly opened the glass container and forcibly poured down its contents into Jack's mouth. "Do not spit it out. Drink everything."

Right after he drank it, a cloud of yellow smoke appeared. Suddenly, I couldn't see a thing. I could hear Claire coughing until the smoke was starting to disappear.

"Jack? Can you hear me? Are you OK?" she said in a concerned voice.

No response. Did the potion work? Did he turn into a teddy bear?

"Woof. Woof."

I heard a dog's barking. Dog? What's a dog doing here? Oh wait! Dammit! Don't tell this potion…

"Woof! Grr…Woof woof!" the dog barked. The smoke cleared out, revealing a dog (er, more like a puppy) sitting on top of Jack's clothes. It was small with curly, golden brown fur and chocolate, beady eyes. Damn! He was supposed to turn into a teddy bear, not a puppy!

"This was not supposed to happen! Where have I gone wrong?" I quickly drew out my potion book and turned to the bookmarked page. I read through it. 'Teddy bear…dog. Teddy bear dog.' Ah, of course! This was the recipe for turning people into teddy bear dogs not teddy bears! Agh! But he looks like a puppy, not a dog. I'll just consider him as a puppy then.

"Did…did you just turn Jack into a puppy?" Claire spoke. She still looked shocked.

I sighed. "You know, I wanted him to turn into a teddy bear just like I had planned, but instead he turned into a puppy."

"Can't you reverse it somehow?"

Reverse it? Sure, I can do that. But I don't want to. Maybe I'll have some fun and make the most of this situation. After all, I worked hard on that stupid potion.

"Close your eyes, Claire, and listen to this chant." She reluctantly closed her eyes, and I closed my own eyes. I began the chant:

**L****HIAUIJBABIADYAI**

**LASIOIAHVBXUAHV**

**ACYT ASYUAY NXKUABXHALA!**

"Claire, open your eyes." Claire opened her eyes and looked at the puppy.

"Jack's still a puppy! I thought you were going to turn him back into a human!"

"I did not say that I would reverse it! Instead, I did this. Listen." I kicked Jack the puppy.

"Ow! Why did you do that!" Jack snapped.

"Huh! Jack, you talked! How did you do that?" Claire said. She seemed amazed.

"I didn't make Jack speak our language. I chanted a spell that would make us understand animal language." I explained.

"Why couldn't you just turn him back to normal? Jack has a farm to run! And he also promised a girl that he would come back for her!" Claire yelled.

"Claire, shut up!" Jack barked.

Hmm, interesting. I might have some fun in this town…

"Well, I can turn him back to normal. But it will take a while for me to prepare the reverse potion. It is a very long process…" I lied. It would only take me a minute to prepare it.

"How long are you talking about?" she asked.

"Oh, about 2 years…"

"2 YEARS!" Jack and Claire said in unison.

"Hey, you witch! I promised the mayor that I would do some work on my farm! How am I supposed to work on the farm like this? I may be a bit lazy, but I sure as hell won't set a bad example for myself and leave the farm as it is! I want to make my grandfather proud! And the mayor proud! And the villagers proud! And…her…" Jack whimpered and looked down with his sad, pitiful puppy dog eyes. I almost feel sorry for him.

"Jack…" Claire said, also following her eyes to the ground. Sorrow filled her voice when she said his name.

"You can have someone else work on the farm for you while I prepare the reverse potion." I suggested.

"But I made promises! The farm is under my name! I personally met the mayor, and I'm sure he has an idea of how I look like!" Jack looked at me as if all hope was lost.

"Hmm, I am sure there is a way to take care of that situation…" I looked at Claire, who seemed to be staring at Jack very hard.

Actually, it looks like she was staring at the clothes Jack was sitting on top of…


	3. From Now On, My Name is Jack

**A/N: Hiho! This chapter is mostly Claire's point of view with a bit of Jack near the end. She'll be getting into another argument with her conscience again, that crazy girl. She's even has a name for it! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harvest Moon. **

**Chapter 3: From Now On, My Name is Jack…and Claire!**

**Claire POV**

I stared at Jack's clothes on the floor. I can't believe he turned into a puppy…and all of this magic mumbo-jumbo…what is going on? Who is this evil witch? And was that pretty green-haired woman really the Harvest Goddess? I was still looking at his clothes. All I know is, Jack can't possibly do all of his farm work with the way he is now. I have got to help him out somehow, but how?

Then it came across me. The farm belongs to _**Jack**_. The mayor has an _**idea**_ of how he looks like. **Jack's clothes**…

No. There's no way I'm gonna do this!

_But you have to! It's for Jack's sake!_

But pretending to be Jack means that I will live as a man for 2 years! Goddess knows how long I will last.

_'Oh you will pull through.'_

What?

_That wasn't me! I think it was the goddess' voice in your head._

I must be really going crazy.

_Tell me about it. It's hard to believe what's going on right now. But the fact still remains. Jack needs your help, Claire!_

I know! But isn't there any other way to approach this problem?

_Other than 'Witchie' over there, you are the only one who understands Jack's language right? He may be a puppy right now, but the farm is still owned by him. Jack can guide you and teach you everything you need to know._

I don't know…

_Well you have no choice! You can't turn your back from this! Your life in the city sucks right now! Your job sucks, your apartment blows, and you're single! What is there to lose? If anything, you are given the chance to start a new life!_

Hey, being single isn't that bad! But I guess you're right about my life in the city. Wait, even though starting out a new life sounds great, I'm still doing it as a man! As Jack! That's just wrong!

_Who says you could **only** be Jack?_

…Ah…Oh, I see! I like the way you think, Claire 2!

_That's why you have me!_

Okay, you can shut up now. Thanks!

"Claire, what are you staring at?" Jack barked.

I went up to Jack and picked him up. He's so soft and furry. Aw, at least he turned into a cute little puppy! I can tolerate that. Anyways, I put Jack aside and picked up his overalls and shirt. I then picked up his blue cap and placed it on my head backwards. I looked down at Jack, smirking.

"For now on, my name is Jack!" I said in a proud, manly voice.

"Huh?" Jack barked.

I took off the cap. "My name is _also_ Claire. Catch my drift?" I said this in my normal voice.

"What are you talking…oh…Oh! Whaat! You can't be…are you ser-…no way!"

"Mhm. Jack, I've decided to disguise myself and take over your place _and_…live my life here in Mineral Town as Claire at the same time!" I can't tell if I'm excited or nervous about this. Maybe it's both.

"So you're saying that you're gonna live here, as me _and_ as you? That's ridiculous! How are you gonna do that?" He barked.

"Well obviously I'm gonna have to borrow your clothes and try to look exactly like you. It's a good thing that I'm almost as tall as you…well, almost as tall as your original form that is. I would do the farm work and do what you would do. You just have to guide me. And then, when it's time for 'Jack' to rest, I will step out as myself, Claire. I need time to be myself because impersonating you would be stressful and a lot of work."

"…I don't know." Jack whimpered. He seemed unsure about the idea.

"Well I think it's a great idea." The witch said. I turned my attention to her. I forgot that she was still here, listening to us this whole time.

"Well of course! But if it wasn't for your weird experiment, none of this would have happened and things would have been less complicated!" I snapped. Really, it was all her fault! She may be pretty with her wavy, dirty blonde hair, but those scary, ruby red eyes just proves that she is evil!

"Hey, I know I screwed up, but what's done is done. All you need to do is carry out your plan, while I am preparing the rare ingredients for my reverse potion. It's for the best. For you and your friend anyways." The witch was surprisingly a lot calmer all of a sudden. I wonder if she feels guilty about the whole mess-up she's made. Or maybe she's just calm when the Harvest goddess wasn't around. Note to self: never put the Harvest Goddess and the witch together in the same room.

"Well, I'll be staying at the harvest sprite hut. I'm tired of this." The witch was ready to leave.

"Wait!" I held out my arm just so I can stop her for a second. "What's your name?" I asked.

"I don't have a name. I am just called the Witch Princess. Or W.P. for short. Whichever you choose, I do not care."

Jack ran after her and barked. "How about Witchie? The Harvest Goddess called you that. I think it's cute for someone like you."

The Witch Princess let out what sounded like a growl and kicked Jack, making him yelp in pain. "Never call me Witchie! And that woman should not be using that nickname anyways!" She and her teddy bear minions together stormed out of the cave, and, with her broomstick, flew out towards the night sky. Night…

"It's already night time! Jack, let's go to the farm and have everything planned out. You have to teach me everything I need to know before tomorrow!"

"Ow…sure thing." Poor Jack.

**Jack POV**

"UoohouWAAAAHH!" Claire's loud yawn woke me up. Who yawns like that? Anyways, I got up from my, er, basket bed and stretched. I had hoped that waking up would make me realized that everything was all just a dream, but it wasn't. Looking at my small paws, which used to be hands, I knew it wasn't. This was all so messed up!

Claire was rubbing her eyes when she sat up from bed (the bed I was supposed to sleep on). She wore a light blue night gown. Hmm, at least she brought some spare clothes so she won't have to borrow my clothes all the time. Wait, she brought spare clothes? Oh yeah, that's right. She was gonna stay over at the inn for 3 days. But she slept over at my farm house because we were discussing the plan last night. I better ask her about the inn.

"Mornin" I said to Claire. She turned her head back and forth, and then looked down at me.

"Mmm….mornin' Jack…wow, looks like yesterday's events weren't a dream after all." She said with a sleepy voice.

"I was hoping it was." I sighed. "Oh, hey, didn't you make reservations at the inn?"

"Oh yeah, you're right!" she gasped. "Oh but, I can't cancel it. There's no refund. Damn! Maybe I should stay over there for the last 2 nights. I don't want my money to go to waste."

"Ah well, you think about that later. Right now you should be getting dressed! You have to go to the supermarket and buy seeds, remember?"

"Right!" Claire quickly got out of the bed, took out the outfit that we prepared last night, and went straight to the bathroom.

While she was getting ready, I was left to ponder about how this was all going to turn out. I feel kind of nervous about this whole idea, I mean, this is Claire we're talking about! I don't want her to make me look like a fool out there! But I don't think she intends to. She's a good person, I know, but she's a bit clumsy and spacey. She's bound to make a couple of mistakes. Ugh, Goddess, help me…

**Preview: Jack is starting to worry about how the plan is going to turn out. Will the townspeople fall for Claire's disguise? And how will Claire react when she meets a cute guy in her disguise? (Jack: Pull yourself together, Claire! Remember, you are me, and I like w-o-m-e-n! Claire: I know! But I can't help it…) Find out in the next chapter, The Blue-Eyed Blacksmith!**


	4. The BlueEyed Blacksmith

**A/N: Thank you AtYourSide for reviewing! You are awesome!  
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**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harvest Moon.**

**Chapter 4: The Blue-Eyed Blacksmith**

**Claire POV**

"Outfit, check! Now, for the hair…" I pulled out a brunette wig from Jack's bag. It's a good thing he brought a wig with him. Wait, why did he bring this again? Oh yeah, he said that there might be a 'twin day' or something since they celebrate a lot of festivals in this town. Jack's so weird.

I put on the wig and made sure that it would stick on my head. Then, I put on his hat and wore it backwards. "Wig and hat, check! Time to check myself out!"

I got out of the bathroom and looked at the mirror on the wall. I turned my body around, checking myself at all angles.

"Hmm, not bad…but you make me look kind of scrawny. I don't remember you looking like that last night." Jack barked.

"Well it's the best I can do. If the mayor asks, I'll just say that I lost weight." I said.

"What about your eyes? My eyes aren't blue." he added.

"Easy. I'll just say that I'm wearing contacts."

"And what about your skin? My skin isn't that-"

"Ugh, look Jack, we already talked about this last night! Don't worry about it, it'll be fine! Trust me. And don't be so nervous. You're making me more nervous than I already am!" Jack's not really helping me with my nerves. I'm sure Jack's nervous about all of this too, but I should feel way more nervous about this that he is.

"Right, sorry."

"Good. Alright, let's head out! Remember our code talk, right? From now on, I'll be calling you Ted in public. Don't forget the puppy talk."

"Yeah, yeah. Just don't screw it up for me, okay? Practice your voice real quick."

"Ahem…Hi, I'm Jack." I said manly.

"No, no. My voice isn't that deep. Try again. Do the one you did last night."

"Hi, I'm Jack." I said again, with a squeaky, high-pitched voice.

"Quit playing around! Seriously..."

"Alright, alright. Eh-_heemm_….Hi, I'm Jack."

Jack sighed. "Fine, that'll do. Let's go already!"

We walked out of the farm and followed the pathway up north. Then all of a sudden, my stomach growled.

"Looks like we should head out to the Inn first, huh Ted?" I hugged my stomach as if it would help suppress the growl.

I power walked all the way to the town square, with Jack trailing behind me. I turned to my left and kept walking until I saw a sign that said 'Doug's Inn' next to a two-story building. 'Looks like this is the inn' I thought.

I opened the door which triggered the sound of bells. A middle-aged man with reddish-blond hair and a thick mustache was standing behind a bar table, wiping a beer mug. He looked at me when he heard the door slam.

"Welcome! Haven't seen you around here before. The name's Doug. What can I get ya?" He grinned and waved at me.

I cleared my throat. "My name is Jack and this is my puppy, Ted." I came up to him and tried to do my best manly handshake. "I'm the new owner of the farm. You serve breakfast here, right? I need some to fill myself up for the day." I bent down and picked Jack up. "And this little guy needs some dog food. I ran out of some." I said this as I ruffled with his fur.

"Aren't you a cute lil' fella?" Doug was petting him too, and I could tell Jack doesn't like it.

"Hands off, old man!" Jack growled. I chuckled. Doug couldn't hear him talk. All he could hear was his bark.

"He's a lively one, that pup. So you're the new farmer everyone's been talkin' about? That's great! We've always needed one. I heard that you're the grandson of the late owner."

"That I am! I'm trying to pick up where he left off. I'm gonna make my farm the best this towns ever seen!" I said this as I swung a thumbs-up with a goofy grin. My best Jack impression.

"Claire, you look stupid. And I don't smile like that!" Jack barked.

"Hey, I like your attitude, son! You should meet my daughter sometime. And tell ya what, breakfast is on the house! I'll even give you extra bags of scraps for your pup!"

"Oh you don't have to…" This guy's being really generous. Is everyone in town this nice?

"It's no problem. I'll be back with your food later so just sit down and relax." He left us near a table close to the bar and went inside the back room. I put down Jack on the floor and sat on a chair.

"Phew. That wasn't so bad. He bought it." I think I can really pull this off. Ah Goddess, you were right! "So everyone's been talking about you? You only moved in here yesterday and you're already Mr. Popular!" I whispered to Jack.

"Well it is a small town. I'm pretty sure everybody knows everyone here. That's why you should be extra careful with how you act around here. Make one mistake and the whole town will know!"

"No problem, Jack. I think I can do this!" I was feeling confident.

As I was waiting for Doug, I heard footsteps of a person coming down the stairs in the inn. I turned my head, facing the stairs. I saw a tall-looking young man with reddish-blond hair. He looks pretty well-built under that light-brown jumpsuit he's wearing. When he turned around facing the bar, my jaw instantly dropped. I had a good look at his face as he walked closer and closer to the bar. His eyes were icy blue – yet they were dark and mysterious. He wore a serious expression on his face. Now normally, I'm not attracted to serious guys, but this guy was an exception. What a hunk…

"Claire, don't stare at him like that! And quit drooling!" Jack growled.

He's a cute guy, I can't help it. Don't you think he's cute, Claire 2?

_Yeah, yeah. He's pretty good-looking. But Jack's right, don't look at him like that! You're a guy, remember?_

Oh crap, that's right!

"Why the hell are you looking at me like that?" The cute guy said in a husky voice. Ah Goddess, even his voice makes me melt! But he sounded a bit angry.

"Daah…umm…" I blushed. Oh no, I'm at a loss for words!

Just then, Doug came out of the back room holding our breakfast. "Ah, Gray. Off to work?" He glanced at me. "And I see you've met Jack."

"Jack?"

"Yeah, the young man you're standing next to right now. He's the new farmer." Doug explained.

"Whatever. Have you seen my hat anywhere?" Ack! Whatever!**?** Meanie…

"Oh, here." Doug pulled out a hat under the bar table. It had the word 'UMA' on the front in big, bold letters. It was a strange, but cute baseball cap. He tossed it to Gray.

"Ann hid it under here while you were sleeping. Don't tell her I gave it to you."

"Hmph. Figures." Gray put on his hat and started to walk towards the door, but stopped until his back was facing towards me. Nice ass.

_Cuh-laireee. You're a guy._

Right, bad Claire! Jack doesn't look a guy's ass. At least I think he doesn't.

"New farmer, huh? I wonder how long you'll last." Gray continued to walk towards the door and left the inn without another word.

"What a douche!" Jack growled. Yeah, despite his looks, he was kind of a jerk.

Doug came up to the table and placed a plate of pancakes, bacon, and eggs in front of me. My mouth was drooling again. He then gave me a couple of bags filled with scraps for Jack. "Enjoy your meal!" He grinned and placed a glass of orange juice on the table. "Oh, and don't worry about my son. He's not really good with new people, but he's a good guy at heart."

"It's okay. I'm sure he is. Thanks for the breakfast!"

Doug left the table and went behind the counter. I opened the bag of scraps, took out a piece of meat, and held it out for Jack to come eat it. Jack came up to me, but didn't take the meat.

"What's wrong, boy? Why won't you eat it?"

Jack just sneered at me and growled. "No problem,_ huh_?"

I jammed the meat into his mouth. "Oh, shut up! I can't help my hormones." I whispered.

"Well you better straighten yourself up! I saw how you were looking at Gray! The last thing I need is a rumor that I'm…well…you know…"

"No one will think that, I promise. Now let's eat already. I'm starving!"

We wolfed down our food, thanked Doug, and left the inn. Taking a shortcut, we reached the supermarket in no time. A man with a thin mustache greeted me inside the supermarket. He told me that his name is Jeff and that he is the owner; but why is he dressed like a butler? Weird. Anyways, a young woman came out of the back room. She sported a purple vest, white camisole, and denim shorts. Her long, brown hair reached up to her waist, and her blonde bangs framed her face, bringing out her emerald eyes. I would have thought she was pretty, but she looked tired and miserable.

"Ughhh…" she moaned.

"Are you OK?" I asked, genuinely concerned.

"Mmm…hangover…"

"Ah, I feel you. Hold on a sec…" I took out my brown rucksack and pulled out a water bottle. "Here. I got some fresh water from the Goddess pond. You should drink a lot of water when you have hangovers."

"You think I don't know that!**?**" She kinda snapped at me and grabbed the bottle off of my hands. "…Thanks though." She guzzled down the water and wiped her mouth.

"My name's Jack, by the way. And this is Ted, my puppy."

"I'm Karen. Nice meeting you, Jack and -" She looked down at the pup. "Uh…I'm more of a cat person. Sorry."

"Aw, I wouldn't mind if you pet me." Jack barked. Ha, too bad.

"It's cool."

Karen placed her hand on my shoulder. "Thanks for the water, really. You're a nice guy and you know… you're pretty cu-"her cheeks suddenly puffed up. Oh she better not –

"BLEEEEEEGH!" she threw up on my red scarf. She threw up on me!

"AW! WHAT THE FU-"

"Sorweeggh!" Karen covered her mouth with her hand and sprinted back to the back room. Jeff saw everything and his mouth shaped an 'o'.

"Oh my Goddess! I-I am so sorry about my daughter!" he gasped. "H-hold on, let me get you something." Jeff took out some paper towels and what looks like 3 bags of seeds.

"Here, Jack. Again, I truly apologize for Karen's behavior. Consider the seeds as an apology." Jeff handed me the items and I roughly wiped the sour-smelling substance off of my scarf.

"It's…nothing." I tried to not let it get to me, I mean, who throws up on a person? That's disgusting! "Uh Jeff, thanks for the bag of seeds. I think I should be going back to my farm now."

"Ah…well…p-please, come back again."

We left the supermarket and quickly headed back to my farm. Jack couldn't stop himself from laughing at that whole Karen incident on our way.

"Hahaha! You should have seen the look on your face when she did that to you! Priceless!"

"You think that's_ funny_!**?** I think that's disgusting! How would you feel if she did that to _you_?"

"Of course I would be mad like you right now if that happened to me. I mean, that's such a turn off. It's only funny when I'm not the target."

"Well she threw up on me, who's supposed to be you, and…augh I smell like crap! Does she look familiar to you? Because I sure hope that's not your mystery girl!"

"Uh, I forgot what she looks like, so not really. It could be any of the women in this town. But hey, look at the bright-side; at least she almost called you cute. Heh, so she thinks Jack is cute huh…"

"Well what she did was anything _but_ cute."

We finally reached the farm. I so wanted to change my clothes but I was supposed to fix up the field and plant some seeds anyways. So I spent the entire day working on the field smelling like Karen's crap. When I was done, I wiped off the sweat on my forehead and looked at my watch. 'It's almost 4pm' I thought. 'Oh that's right; I should check myself in at the inn soon. But first, I have got to wash these horrible-smelling clothes and take a shower. I should probably relax at the hot spring, too.' I washed Jack's clothes and hung them out to dry. I placed the baseball cap and wig in my rucksack. Then, I took a quick shower and put on a white bath robe.

"Hey Jack, I'm going straight to the inn after I take a dip at the hot springs. I'll see you tomorrow!"

"Bye Claire. Come here early, OK?" Jack stayed inside the house and I closed the door. It's a good thing there's a pet door, otherwise he wouldn't have been able to get in and out of the house with his own will. Anyways, I went off to the hot spring while carrying my bathing supplies on a basket.

When I got there, I quickly went inside the women's changing room, took off my robe, and dipped my naked self into the hot pool. I let out a long sigh and further immersed myself into the water.

"Ahhh….this feels so good."

Just then, I heard ruffling noises coming from the men's changing room. 'Oh, that better not be some old pervert' I thought 'didn't he read the sign I made?' I placed my hand on a smooth rock, readying myself to throw it at the upcoming slime-ball. The changing room door opened and I couldn't really see the male figure before me really well because of all the steam in the way. But without hesitation, I threw the rock at him, for I didn't want him to get the chance of having even a glimpse of my naked body.

"FEEL MY WRATH, YOU PERV!**!**!"

I must have hit him pretty hard in the head because he instantly fell onto the floor. Is he unconscious? I quickly got out of the water and covered myself with a towel. I was shocked to see who I had hit.

Gray?

**Gray POV**

**- **hours later** -  
><strong>

"Ooh…" I moaned. What the hell just happened to me? I slowly opened my eyes to see…a girl?

"Gaah! What the- "I quickly sprung up and distanced myself from this girl – a good 10 feet away.

"Eyaaah!" She screamed. Why did she scream? And why is she covering her eyes…oh. I looked down at myself, realizing that my towel was on the ground. I-I'm naked in front of this poor girl!

"Ah…s-sorry!" I felt my face heating up. I quickly picked up the towel and wrapped it around my waist. I've never been in a more awkward situation like this in my life! What do I do?

The girl spoke. "Um…s-so you're alive? Thank Goddess…"

"…" I didn't know what to say because there's so many things that I wanted to know at once. Like why was I lying down on that girl's lap near the Goddess pond? And why am I naked? I rubbed the back of my head and rubbed my forehead. Then I remembered. I was going to take a bath at the hot spring after mining. When I went inside, someone threw a rock at me, hitting me almost right in the middle of my forehead. That's right…

"Dammit, who did that!**?**" I said out loud, without thinking.

"I-I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to hit you so hard. I was just defending myself!"

My face flushed and I quickly turned my back at her. "Y-you could have at least put a sign that said you were using it!"

"But I did! Didn't you see it? Come here, let me show you!" she grabbed my wrist with her tiny hand and dragged me to the hot spring. "See, I put a sign right- huh? Hey! Where'd it go?"

I looked down and saw a piece of paper with some scotch tape stuck at the bottom of the entrance door. I picked it up and read it: 'IN USE. NO PERVERTS ALLOWED!'

I showed it to her. "Is this it?"

"Ah that's it! That's the sign I placed on the door. I knew I should have used stronger tape!"

"Hmph…argh!" I suddenly felt a sharp pain on my right temple. I rubbed it with my hand. This girl really did hit me hard…

"Oh no…does it still hurt? I should probably take you to the clini-"

"No! I mean, no…t-that's fine. Let me just…put some clothes on."

The girl turned red. "Ah, y-yeah, you do that."

I went back to the changing room and put on my black t-shirt, jeans, and cap. I carried my bag, which contained my work clothes and mining tools, on my shoulder. Who was that girl? I've never seen her around town yet I feel like I've met her before…

When I was done putting on my clothes, I came outside and was startled to see that the girl is still here. It looks like she changed too; instead of the white bath robe she wore, she wore a pink t-shirt and white shorts. I quickly turned around and lowered my hat.

"You know, you didn't have to wait for me…"

"B-but I wanted to. It's my fault that I got you unconscious."

"…" the thought of that just hurts my male pride.

"…take off your hat."

"Huh?"

"I want to see the injury myself. I may be able to treat it."

"…i-it's fine."

"No, it isn't fine! Come over here." She pulled my arm again and dragged me back to the Goddess pond. We sat down near the edge of the water. "I should have looked at it more closely."

She took my hat off and touched my forehead. I blushed a bit when she moved part of my hair to the side. She let out a small gasp.

"Ah, you're bleeding! Hold on a sec." she pulled out a first aid kit from her rucksack and took out an antiseptic and a bandage. "This will sting a bit."

"…" I didn't want to show any more signs of weakness in front of this woman, so I bit my tongue as she wiped the bleeding bump with a cotton ball.

She blew the wound and I blushed even more. Her face was so close to mine that I had a good look at her. She had long, blonde hair, fair skin, and eyes as blue as a cloudless sunny sky.

…_so cute_

No! I meant 'so close'. Yeah, this girl is too close to my face!

She placed a small bandage on my bump. "There!" she said "That should do it."

"…"

"What? Not even a thank you?" she puffed her cheeks and folded her arms.

I put my hat back on and looked away from her. Why should I thank someone for hitting me with a damn rock? But then again, I couldn't blame her for defending herself, even though I had no idea she was using the hot spring. And, well…she's nice, I guess.

"Hmph. Th-thanks…"

"Good." She smiled and stood up."Well, I have to go to the inn right now, so-"

"I…I'll take you there."

"You don't have to..."

"Well I'm headed towards the inn anyways. I stay over there. And besides, I – you shouldn't be walking alone at night." It's already night time…damn, how long was I out?

"Um, alright. Thank you."

We walked down the stairs and continued on our way to the inn. Not a word was said, and all you could hear were cricket sounds. But that soon changed when the girl finally broke the awkward silence between us.

"…My name is Claire."

"Gray."

"…"

"…"

Another awkward silence...


	5. Last Night

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harvest Moon.**

**Chapter 5: Last Night  
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**Claire POV**

*Beep beep. Beep beep. Beep beep*

"Mmm…Shut up!"

*Click*

Stupid alarm clock. I'm still sleepy…hmm. Spring 7, 5:00 in the morning. I've just spent my first night in the inn. Yesterday's events were…pretty interesting. What wasn't so great was when Karen threw up on me…again…last night. Last night…yeah, a lot of things happened. I was…walking with Gray to the inn. Just thinking about that makes me blush. It was so weird meeting Gray at the hot springs like that. And I didn't think I would see him naked so…suddenly. Anyways, that wasn't the only interesting thing that happened. When we reached the inn, I've met some new villagers and learned something very important…

"_Welcome…huh? Ah, it's you son. And who's this pretty young lady?"_

"_Ah, she's – her name is Claire. She said she needed to go to the inn so I accompanied her since it's, well you know, dark outside."_

"_Nice to meet you." I bowed._

"_Name's Doug. It's a pleasure."_

_Just then, a blue-eyed young girl clad in blue overalls and a yellow blouse walked towards us while holding a tray. She had reddish-blonde hair that was tied into a high plait with a white ribbon. She cheerfully greeted us. _

"_Hey Gray!" she punched his arm and looked me. "And welcome! My name is Ann! What's yours?"_

"_Claire. Nice to meet you, Ann!"_

"_Claire, Claire. Huh..." she pondered for a moment while repeatedly tapping her chin with her right index finger. "Ah, you wouldn't happen to be the Claire that was supposed to check in the inn yesterday, would you?"_

"_Yeah, I'm that Claire. I forgot to check in yesterday because…" hmm, what was my excuse again? Let's see…blah blah blah I met Ann blah blah something about Jack being my twin brother…Ah! That's it. "I fell asleep on my brother's bed when I went to visit him. His name is…Jack."_

"_Oh so you're Jack's sister? No wonder you look so familiar. You guys are practically identical!" Doug said._

"_Ah, yeah…we're, uh, twins after all."_

"_Who's Jack, Dad?" Ann asked._

"_He's the new owner of the farm, and a great guy. Ain't that lucky, Ann?" Doug winked at her._

"_Dad!" Ann seemed embarrassed._

_Hmm…what else happened? Ok, so I talked with Ann, Gray went upstairs to take a shower, I ordered a beer…ah! And…Karen was there, drunk as hell. _

"_Mmm hey gurl! Was yer name…? Name's Karen an dis is Ricky-boy, mah best friendddd..."_

"_H-hey, Karen…uh, I'm Claire. And…" I looked at her friend. He had big, round glasses, long strawberry-blond hair, and a white headband. He also wore a green turtleneck, blue apron, and brown pants. He looked kinda nerdy but he was nice. I mean, he's cute, but lacks in the sex appeal department. _

"_Just Rick's fine. Not Ricky-boy. Sorry, don't mind Karen. She's really drunk. Anyways, nice to meet you Claire!"_

"_Nice to meet you too, Rick!"_

_What did I talk about with him? Let's see…he said something about being my chicken man or something. What's that supposed to mean? Oh yeah, he said he helps his mom, Lilia, run the Chicken Lil's poultry farm. His father, Rod, disappeared about 2 years ago to find a cure for Lilia since she has some sort of rare illness. He also mentioned that he has a sister named Popuri and that he hates this guy named Kai, who always comes to this town during the summer. What else, what else… _

…_Ah…I remember Karen getting into a fight. I think it was with a man named…Gotz? Yeah, Gotz…the guy who lives in that house in the forest area near the Goddess pond. He looked kinda scary with his wild brown hair and grizzly beard. He's a big, muscular guy. I think Rick said that Gotz was Karen's biological father or something. He also said that Karen's mother, Sasha, had a divorce with Gotz because of his drinking problem. _

"_Shee, das why mom left ya! Youer always avoibin her by drinkin yer perobwems away! You hear meh ya ol man!**?**" Karen yelled. Everyone in the inn was looking at her._

"_Yea I hear ya jus don't tahalk to meh! Youer not mah dawhter amemore! Ish not mah fault yer mother chose a pansy ober meh! I min, who doeshent like __**DIS!**__?" Gotz, out of nowhere, just ripped his tight, white t-shirt like a madman and flexed his pecks. _

_Everyone gasped at Gotz as he got on top of a table and did all sorts of muscle poses. "Yeah, shee dis**!**? Huh, you like dat**!**? Like wat you shee everyone**!**? Huh**!**?" After that disturbing display, Gotz threw up on the person nearest to him. _

"_Dad, I hape you! Gota hell!" Karen's eyes were welling up with tears. She looked so pitiful; it made me feel sorry for her. I went up to her and tried to comfort her, much to my regret._

"_Hey Karen…don't let him get to you." I said as I rubbed her back._

_She sniffed and wiped her tears on my pink shirt, and then…well, you know what happens next._

"_BLEEEGH!" She threw up on me…again._

_Like father, like daughter._

_Anyways, I think the guy Gotz threw up on was a man named…Duke? I think he's the winery owner of this wine shop near the inn. After Ann brought me and Duke some rags for us to wipe the vomit, Duke decided to strike a conversation with me. I forgot most of the things I talked about with him, but I remember he mentioned that his wife, Manna, is a chatterbox who gossips with two other women, Anna and Sasha. I vaguely remember him trying to hook me up with this guy named Cliff. Ah, Cliff…that guy. He had long, brown hair that was gathered into a low ponytail and had grayish-blue eyes. I couldn't make out what he was wearing. It was some brown, furry garment thingy. Despite his outfit, he was a cutie. He's shy, like Gray, but friendlier. _

"_Come on, I think you should meet him Claire. Hey Cliff! Over here!" _

_Cliff hesitated for a while, but eventually came over to us. "Hey. What's up, Duke?"_

"_I want you to meet this young lady over here." Duke held out his arm, motioning it towards me._

"_Oh…H-hi…" he stuttered._

"_Hello! It's nice to meet you, Cliff. My name is Claire." I smiled at him._

"_Ah, yeah…nice to meet you. S-so uh, do you like this town, Claire?"_

"_Yeah, it's really pretty and peaceful!"_

"_That's nice."_

"…"

"..?"

_Duke cleared his throat and placed one hand on my shoulder and the other hand on Cliff's. "Ah, you know, you two look good together!"_

_Cliff and I both blushed in unison._

"_Hahahaha, you kids have a good time, yeah?" When Duke left us, I tried to talk to Cliff. He didn't talk much, but he was gradually opening up to me, which was good. I don't really remember what we were talking about but I remember seeing Ann from across the room, glaring at us. She seemed upset about something._

"_Sorry Cliff, but can I talk to Ann? I think she wants to talk to me. I had a good time talking to you, by the way."_

"_Ah, yeah. T-that's fine. It was nice talking to you too..." _

_I excused myself and walked over towards Ann._

"_Why did you come over here? I didn't want to interrupt your talk with…Cliff." She turned her head to the right, avoiding my eyes._

"_I'm just checking up on you. You seem bothered about something. What is it? Is it about Cliff? There's nothing going on between us if that's what you're thinking."_

"_N-no, it's not that! Well, not exactly." I think she blushed._

"_Then what is it? You can tell me."_

"…_Okay. Let's go somewhere else first. Like…your room?"_

"_Yeah, sure."_

_We walked upstairs to the second floor of the inn and entered my reserved room. She entered first and sat down on my bed. I closed the door behind me and sat next to her. _

"_Okay, so…I've been living in Mineral Town ever since I was born. My mother died when I was very young, so my dad and Gray pretty much raised me for most of my life. Now, what I'm about to tell you sounds stupid so don't laugh, okay?"_

"_I won't laugh. Promise."_

"_Alright, so when I was 4, I made a promise with a boy during the summer. I think he came over for vacation or something…I forget. Anyways, I hung out with him all the time and we had a lot of fun together. Then, when summer was almost over, he had to leave. I remembered we both cried about it, I mean both of us – we were such good friends. We were both at the dock when he was about to leave, and he promised me that he would return here and I promised him that I would stay and wait for him."_

"…" _Oh. My. Goddess. This girl…this might be Jack's mystery girl!_

"_Claire? Are you listening?"_

"_Oh! Yeah, I'm listening. Please, continue."_

"_Okay, so about Cliff…"_

_Huh? What does Cliff have to do with any of this?_

_Ann continued. "He says he's a traveler. He first came over to the inn last fall, and still stays in one of the rooms here. During his stay, I overheard him talking to my dad about something. And guess what it's about"_

"_What is it about?"_

"_Guess."_

"_Um…about his travels?"_

"_No, silly! It was about a promise! He told my Dad that he came here because of a promise! I have a strong feeling that he's the guy!"_

"_What! No..no way!" It can't be Cliff, can it? I mean, her story sounds just like Jack's! So she was 4-years-old…how old is Ann now?_

"_Ann, how old are you?"_

"_What? Uh, 21. Why?"_

_Jack said it was 17 years ago since he made that promise. 17 + 4 = 21. Oh my Goddess, no way!_

"_Ah, nothing. Just curious. So the boy you promised, do you remember what he looked like?"_

"_Um…I'm not really sure, but he definitely had brown hair."_

_Well that doesn't help. Jack and Cliff both have brown hair. _

"_So, did you ask Cliff about this whole promise thing?"_

"_No. Not yet. I'm just…ugh! I don't know what's stopping me! I mean usually, when I know something, I ask about it right away. But for some reason, this is different! It's like…I dunno…like I still have doubts."_

"_Maybe…maybe Cliff isn't the guy then?"_

"_Maybe. But you heard the story, Claire. It's highly likely that Cliff's the guy! So, uh, what should I do? Should I ask him about it or what? I think I'll do- "_

"_No, no, no. I…I think you should still wait until you're really sure."_

"_But…I think it might be the perfect time to ask soon! The Goddess festival is coming up and-"_

"_The Goddess what?"_

"_Oh, that's right, you're new here. The Goddess festival is where all of the young women in town dress up in a goddess costume in honor of the Harvest Goddess. My Dad forces me to go and wear my mom's costume. It's not really my thing, wearing a frilly dress. But the food is great! Oh, and the women usually have the guys escort them. Cliff already asked me! Don't you think that's a sign? It's like practically saying 'Hey Ann, that's right. I made the promise with you!'"_

"_You still can't be too sure though."_

"_Why do you seem more doubtful about this?"_

"_Because…I-I think, I dunno, it might be someone else."_

"_Hmm, do you know something that I should know?" Crap. What should I do? Should I tell her about Jack? No, I have to talk about this whole thing with him first! I mean, there's a 50/50 chance that it's Jack._

"_No! No…it's just…this whole promise thing seems too good to be true."_

"_I know, right? Well, I think I'll take your advice. Consider it as a 'thank you' for listening. I'm gonna go back downstairs and help out my Dad. You coming?"_

"_No, I think I'll just sleep now. I had a long day."_

"_Okay, suit yourself. Night Claire!"_

"_Night!"_

_Ann went out of my room and I started to unpack my things from my rucksack. Just then, I jumped at the sound of a sudden stomp and the sight of a familiar ponytail braid. Ann again.  
><em>

"_Oh, sorry Claire! I forgot to ask. Who are you going to the festival with?"_

"_Uh, I don't think I'll go. I don't have a costume and all."_

"_Ask Popuri tomorrow. She has extras! Oh, and you can go with her to the festival if you don't have an escort, since Kai isn't around and all. You could ask your brother, but that would be kinda weird. I know how that feels."_

"_Did…did your brother ask anyone yet?" I don't know why I'm getting my hopes up. I mean, Gray's kinda quiet and a bit of a jerk. Why should I care? It's not like he'll ask me anyways._

"_Yeah, he already asked Mary."_

"_Oh…who's Mary?" _

"_She's Anna's daughter and the town librarian. She's really nice, but I don't talk to her that much."_

"_I see…"_

"_Why? Are you j-e-a-l-o-u-s?"_

"_Jealous? Me? Pfft, no..." I turned my head to my right, avoiding her gaze. Why am I turning red? I'm not jealous!_

"_Hahaha! Don't worry, I won't tell anyone that you like him."_

"_But I don't! We've just met!"_

"_Right, right. There's no need to hide it from me. I mean, I've only met you an hour ago, but I feel like we're already good friends!" Yeah, Ann's right. I feel comfortable talking to her. I think we'd be great friends._

"_Yeah, same here. But I still don't like your brother."_

"_Fine, fine. I'll just leave you alone now so you could sleep." Ann left the room. Finally! Now to slip in my nightie and get under the covers…_

Right…it's Spring 7, 5: 10 in the morning, and I've just remembered what happened last night while I was getting ready. What am I going to do today? Let's see: eat breakfast, go back to the farm and dress up as Jack, TELL JACK ABOUT ANN'S STORY, water crops, yada yada yada. Oh, and meet up with Popuri, buy a chicken, and visit Brownie Ranch. Alright, let's do this!


	6. Dr Dolittle

**A/N: Hmm...maybe I should make my chapters longer. What do you think? Just so you know, this is just an easy-to-read fun fic. Don't expect super complex angst-filled drama. That's why this story is under romance/humor :)  
><strong>

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harvest Moon.**

**Chapter 6: Dr. Dolittle**

**Jack's POV**

Claire should be coming here anytime soon. *sigh* it's so lonely being a puppy. I wonder if she met any new villagers last night. If she did, did she mention me? She better not mess things up. Now, what to eat…

I scanned the house, looking for any traces of food.

There's a fridge, but I can't open it! Argh! Oh, what's this? 'Jack's food'. Ah, that's right. Doug's food scraps. No way am I eating that again!

*growl*

Ugh…I'm so hungry. Geez, there's nothing but these bags of scraps. I guess I have no choice…

I opened the bag with my paws and took out a piece of meat. I nibbled on it. Mmm…hey, the more I eat this, the more it isn't so bad. I guess I could get used to eating this…

"JAAAACK! I HAVE TO TELL YOU SOMETHING!" Claire busted the door open, making me jump and choke on my meat.

*cough* *weeze* *cough*

"Ah, what's wrong? Oh my Goddess, you're choking! Hold on, Jack!" Claire picked me up and performed a Heimlich maneuver. The piece of meat shot out of my mouth like a bullet and hit the wall.

"*cough* Goddess Claire, don't scare me like that!"

"Sorry! But really Jack, I've got to tell you something! It's about you and your mystery girl!"

"Whaat!**?** You've met her!**?**"

"Eh, not exactly. But just listen to what I'm about to tell you, okay?"

"Okay!"

Claire told me everything that happened last night at the inn. Well, everything important at least. She told me about this girl named Ann, who's probably the girl that I made a promise with 17 years ago. She also told me that Ann believes Cliff made the promise with her. There's a great possibility that Ann is the one, I mean her story sounds exactly like mines and her name kinda rings a bell…

"So what do you think? It's her, huh?"

"Maybe. But if this Cliff guy also made a promise, then I'm not too sure." So I'm not the only one who made a promise?

"That's what I thought too! Ugh...this isn't getting anywhere. I guess I should take matters into my own hands."

"Hey, I didn't ask you to help find the girl I made a promise with! It's really not your business! And besides, what are you gonna do about?"

"I'm gonna go into Jack mode and go to the Goddess festival tomorrow. Ann has to know that you exist, and I've got to figure out Cliff's side of the story!"

I don't know if Claire's plan is a good idea. I mean, it sounds good, but should she really try to figure out who this girl is for me...as me? If anything, she should just stick to the farm work and have me take care of my own business. But can I really figure out who this girl is as a puppy? Can I really wait for another 2 years just to find her and see her again on my own when I'm human again?

"…Fine. But I have to be there to watch you."

"Hmm...I don't think animals are allowed though…"

"Then I'll just hide in the bushes or something."

"Alright, then it's settled! Claire's Super Awesome Plan #2 will come into play tomorrow!"

"Right, so uh, aren't you gonna get dressed and do the errands now?"

"Of course! Today's a busy day for…Jack." She went inside the bathroom, bringing the disguise with her.

When Claire was done dressing up as 'Jack', she got out of the bathroom, took her tools out, and went straight to the field. She watered the crops and gathered some honey from my apple tree. Looks like she's off to a good start. When she was done with work, she put the tools away and started heading out for Mother's Hill to look for herbs. I went along with her to help. When we gathered enough herbs, we went back to the farm and placed them in the shipping bin.

"You know, you should start thinking about buying some animals soon." I suggested.

"That's what I'm about to do! I'm gonna buy a chicken and drop by Brownie Ranch. I think I'll go to the ranch first since its open early."

We reached the ranch and we were greeted by an old man named Barley and his cute little granddaughter named May. Man, I hate it when guys pet me! It just feels, I dunno, weird since I'm a guy. But I don't mind if any girls pet me of course. Barley said that he just got a horse for free from a trainer. He already has a lot of horses so he decided to give Claire the trainer's horse for free. What's up with people giving Claire free stuff? Come to think of it, we haven't spent a dime on any of the things we got from the villagers. She's a smooth customer, that girl. Looks like she's doing well in learning the ways of Jack, eh?

"Thanks Barley!" Claire grinned. "So Ted, what should we name this guy?" The horse was white with three black spots on its right side.

"Hmm…I dunno." I barked.

"They call me Zero." Woah, did that horse talk?

"W-what!**?** Did you hear that, Barley?" Claire was flabbergasted. Her eyes were bulging out. So she can understand other animals too? Looks like we have a Dr. Dolittle in this town.

"Hmm, I have no idea what you're talking about, Jack." Barley seemed confused.

"O-oh. Never mind." She cleared her throat. "I think I'll name him Zero."

"Good. Now remember to talk to your horse, pet it, and brush it every day. You can get a brush at Saibara's Blacksmith shop. I'll take Zero to your horse stable while you do the rest of your errands."

"Okay, I will. Thanks Barley! And bye May!"

"Bye, big brother!" May chirped.

We walked out of the ranch and went to Saibara's since we needed a brush for the horse. When we got there, we saw an old man arguing with Gray behind the counter. It seems that Gray messed up on something and the old man got all mad about it. Serves him right. The guy's a douche.

**Gray POV**

"What are you looking at?" I hissed at the person behind me. Little did I know that the person I yelled at was none other than Jack, the new farmer. Hmph, Jack. That guy is just _weird_. The first time I saw him, I wanted to wipe that dumb look on his face. Who the hell looks at a person like that?

"Gray! That is not how you should talk to our customer!" my old man snapped. He looked past me to face Jack. "Welcome. My name is Saibara. You must be the new farmer. Sorry, my grandson is being an idiot today. He still has a lot to learn." Gah, the nerve! Does he always have to insult me in front of people?

"It's okay. My name is Jack by the way. I just came here to buy a brush." Jack said.

"A brush huh? That will cost you 800 G."

Jack handed him the money and placed the brush in his rucksack. He then came up to me. What does he want? If it's a beating, then I'll gladly give it to him.

"Hey Gray! I didn't know you work here. What exactly do you do?"

"…upgrade tools, fix stuff, mine..."

"Ah, that's right. Jack, if you ever need to upgrade your tools, come over here with an ore. You can get ores in the spring cave near the Goddess pond." The old man said.

"I'll make sure to do that." Jack turned back his attention to me. "So you do all that stuff? That's cool."

"It would take a hundred years before Gray can make a decent tool." The old man said. Why won't he shut up?

"I don't know about that. Gray looks like a pretty tough guy to me."

I pulled my hat down. "Tch. It doesn't matter. No matter what I do, the old man never approves of my work."

Jack placed his hand on my shoulder. "I'm sure he will someday. You just have to keep trying no matter what. And don't bring yourself down." He gave me a reassuring smile.

"…" You know, I've never took the time to look at Jack closely (why would I?). Looking at him right now just reminds me of someone. Claire. That was her name, right? Didn't she say that she and Jack are twins? They really do look alike. They have the same, exact face. Same eyes. It's…strange.

"Well, I have to go to Chicken Lil's right now. I'll see you guys later!" Jack waved goodbye at us and left the shop.

"You know, you could learn a thing or two from Jack." The old man said.

"...Shut up."

**Jack POV**

We reached the front of the poultry shop and waited for it to open. Claire was just leaning on a fence while I was sitting down next to her. That trip to the smith shop got me thinking. Why is Claire so nice to Gray?

"Why are you so nice to Gray?"

"Why shouldn't I?"

"Oh, I dunno, because he's rude to you! If I were you, I would put him in his place!"

"Maybe I don't want to. He's not really as much of a jerk as you think he is."

"Really? 'Cause it seems like every time we come across him, he just acts like a jerk." It's true. I've never seen him act nice around anyone.

"But...he can be nice sometimes."

"How do you know?"

"W-well..."

Just then, the door opened and a girl with pink hair was surprised to see us in front of the shop.

"Oh, hi! I don't believe I've seen you before. My name is Popuri!" she had a bright smile on her face. She's pretty cute.

"You're Popuri? My name is Jack and this is my puppy, Ted."

"Aww, cute!" she picked me up and petted me, which I like *winks*

She put me down. "But it's not good to keep him around the chickens. He'll scare them away." No I won't. I don't bite.

"I'll keep that in mind. Speaking of chickens, do you have any for sale?" Claire went right to the point.

"Of course! Right there." The pink-haired girl pointed at this fence that had a few chickens on the other side.

We walked over there and I stood farther from the fence, seeing as I might 'scare the chickens.' It looks like Claire picked the brown chicken.

"Thank you for choosing me! My name is Poppy." the chicken clucked.

"Wha?" Claire looked at the chicken with a weird face.

"Is something wrong Claire?" Popuri asked.

"No, it's nothing. So, uh, I'll name it Poppy."

"Aw, you're naming it after me? That's so sweet!" Popuri blushed.

"No! The chi- I mean yeah, of course I'm naming it after you. You're a nice person and, uh, you're pretty." Good Claire. Play it smooth...

"Teehee! I'll tell mom to give you a discount. And I'll tell Rick to send the chicken to your farm with bags of chicken feed. Come inside!" We followed Popuri inside the shop.

Another lady with pink hair stood behind the counter and greeted us. Apparently, she's Popuri's mom, Lilia. Next to her was a dorky-looking guy who introduced himself as Rick. After the purchase, he left the shop taking our chicken and chicken feed with him to our farm. Lilia looked at Claire and smiled.

"So Jack, are you taking anyone to the Goddess festival tomorrow?"

"I haven't really thought about who to ask. I just got here and all..." Hmm...that's right, the festival. Claire definitely needs to find a date. I don't want her to make me look like a loser.

"Jack already asked me out, mom!" Popuri beamed at Lilia. Claire just looked at her funny.

"Wait, what**!**? I di-"

"And he said that when the festival is over, he's gonna take me somewhere afterwords! Right Jack?" She nudged at Claire. Popuri whispered to her ear about something.

"Um, yeah. That's right. Is that okay with you Lilia?" Claire said.

"Why of course! I'm sure she'll have a great time with you! You're a good kid, Jack."

"Good. I-I'll be going back to my farm now. I'll see you later Lilia and...Popuri!" Claire waved at them and we left the shop.

When the door closed, Claire let out a sigh.

"Well that was pretty awkward." she said.

Alright! Looks like 'Jack' has a date!

**Preview: Claire's plan is going towards an unexpected turn. Who knew that simple childhood promises would bring a complicated future? With random magic spells, rising tensions, break-ups, and unexpected hook-ups, Claire knows that this is a festival she'll never forget. And it's only been 3 days! (Claire: What is going on**!**? And what are _you_ doing here!**?** Witch: Oh ho ho ho! ) Watch out for the next chapter, Disaster Dance!  
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